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A letter written by Oliver Cromwell in 1642 has been unearthed in a council office.

An Essex council spokesman said: “In the letter, dated March 1642, Cromwell recommends a Captain Dodsworth for promotion. Unfortunately, the letter was put in our ‘Pending’ tray by a 17th Century Council administrator and one of his successors has only just got to it.”

Other letters the council have just got around to opening include a note from Farriner’s Bakers in Pudding Lane, London dated 4 September 1666 stating, “I think I’ve left the oven on, please check,” and a 1939 letter from a Mister Adolph Hitler saying “Sorry about the bad feeling, let’s stop now before things get out of hand.”